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MAHESH BHUPATHI
11-Time Grand Slam Champion  Mahesh Bhupathi, a former NCAA Doubles Champion at Ole Miss, has confirmed his place in tennis history.In 2011, Bhupathi teams back up with countryman Leander Paes. The two made a successful return to the courts, winning their home country title in Chennai and falling just short of the one grand slam doubles title that eludes the pair, the Australiian Open. On their way to the finals, Bhupathi won his 600th career match since turning pro in 1995. Only 16 other players in the Open Era have reached the milestone. In 2009, Bhupathi paired with fellow Indian Sania Mirza to capture the Mixed Doubles Championship at the Australian Open for his 11th grand slam title. He and fellow doubles partner, Mark Knowles, ended the year ranked No. 3 in the ATP Rankings. The duo teamed up to reach the finals at the Australian and U.S. Opens and won the title at Barcelona, after winning four titles in their first year together in 2008. Bhupathi finished in the Top 30 individually in the Stanford ATP Doubles Rankings in 2007 for the seventh consecutive year and 11th overall as well as earning his 40th career doubles title. Bhupathi teamed with Martina Hingis in 2006 to capture the Australian Open Mixed Doubles title, bringing his total to 10 career grand slams. In 2005, he teamed with Mary Pierce to claim the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon and then won his fifth mixed doubles title when he and Daniela Hantuchova captured the U.S. Open Championships. In 2004, Bhupathi finished the season ranked in the Top 10 (No. 5 in the ATP Doubles Race with Russia’s Max Mirnyi and No. 7 individually) for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time in seven years. In addition, he won five doubles titles and more than 50 matches for the third year in a row. His five titles came with four different partners. Bhupathi earned a spot in the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston (with Mirnyi). Bhupathi also teamed with Mirnyi to reach the quarterfinals at the 2004 Australian Open and the semifinals at the French Open. He also teamed up with former partner and fellow countryman, Leander Paes, to win the Master Series Toronto and reach the semifinals at the Olympics in Athens, Greece. Bhupathi teamed with Mirnyi in 2003 to win five of an ATP-high nine finals and finished No. 2 in the ATP Team Race standings. The two reached the finals at Wimbledon. In 2002, Bhupathi added two more grand slam titles to his impressive resume. He teamed with Russia’s Elena Likhovtseva to win the Mixed Doubles title at Wimbledon and two months later, he and doubles partner Max Mirnyi won the U.S. Open Championship. In 1999, Bhupathi and his partner, Leander Paes, became the first doubles duo in the modern era to reach the finals of all four grand slam events in a calendar year. The pair won the French Open Championships and one month later captured the most prestigious of the grand slams, Wimbledon. In addition to winning two doubles grand slam titles in 1999, Bhupathi also captured the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship. After not playing together much in 2000 due to injuries, Bhupathi and Paes returned to the courts together in 2001 and captured their third grand slam title and second French Open Championship. In 14 years on the tour, Bhupathi has won almost five million dollars in prize money and captured 45 doubles titles. Bhupathi became the first player in the history of India to win an ATP Grand Slam title when he won the Mixed Doubles title at the French Open Championships in the summer of 1997. While at Ole Miss, Bhupathi led the Rebels to the NCAA team finals. He became the first Rebel tennis player to win an NCAA title when he teamed with Ali Hamadeh to capture the Doubles Championship in 1995 and ended the year as the No. 1 doubles team in the nation. In addition, Bhupathi was an All-American, 1995 SEC Singles Champion and SEC Player of the Year. Bhupathi credits his success to his college days at Ole Miss. “Although I had good results in junior tennis, I was not ready for the pros physically and mentally,” Bhupathi said. “I credit coach Chadwick for much of my success. I really enjoyed my time at Ole Miss and I still stay in touch with my former teammates.” In 2010, Bhupathi became the first Ole Miss player to be inducted into the ITA Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame. 11-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION
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